The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-05-29
BANKING AND REAL ESTATE.
PASQuAL'S PYRE.
wi.rd Scenes at tn. Cremation OF the
Old Yuma Chieftain.

Old Numa Chieftain.
Yuma "A. To cor. San Francisco Examiner.
Pasqual. the famous Yuma chief, who
died ON the night Of May 8, was re-
markable man, particularly noted for his
intelligence, courage and physical
strength. In this respect he ranks far
above Cochise, Mana, Geronimo and
o.he, chiefs of the Arizona tribes.
But little of his history can be OBJ
tanned here. Gen. Heintzelman made
him chief m 1881, when he established
Fort Yuma. and with the exception of
some difficulties with the whites he
tween the years 1892 and 1896, Pasqual
had been friendly and peaceful. He
was just and fair minded Indian him
self, and often enforced discipline and
obedience upon refractory Indians of his
tribe by the bastinado. He was never
known To drink or steal. For several
days before his death Pasqual, wan and
emaciated, fully knowing that the end
was close at hand, never faultered or
lost courage.
DEATH BED SCENES.
He was laid upon his rude bed. sur
rounded night and day by squaws, who
kept up an incessant wailing that was
weird and unearthly in the extreme.
The end came ON the night ofMay .. and
during the remainder of the night the
the older Indians completed the arrange
ments for his cremation, most of which
had been made before.
The younger bucks carried the fire
| wood and caught the horses that were To
be slaughtered 10 accompany the chief To
his future home.
Bright and early yesterday morning
| many Yuma ladies and gentlemen re-
paired To the Indian village TO witness
the curious and barbaric cremation cere-
| monies. The village, situated directly
| west of the hills upon which the forts are
built on the California shore of the Colo
| RADIO, was in the midst of flat, covered
with cacti, mesquite bushes and cotton
wood trees, which grew abundantly.
Among these their rude huts or wickiups
were scattered.
| CREMATION CEREMONIES.
The entire tribe had been notified, and
several hundred Yumas assembled about
the funeral pile. This was formed by
| digging V-shapcd hole seven feet long
| by three feet wide. Along its sides large
| sticks of dry wood were placed upright.
| Between these sticks beds of twigs and
brush were heaped, and upon this the
body, well swathed in ashes, and thick
canvas covering. Then short, dry wood
| was piled up until the pyre reached
possessions of the old chief, comprising
am old-fashioned trunk. quilts, blankets,
| knives, bows and arrows, calico, gun
and "A variety Of other things.
Two fine young horses, gayly rugged in
bright-colored trappings, were brought
to the pile, alongside which their graves
were lug. just before applying the
torch the brutes were knocked In the
head with axes. disemboweled and
thrown into their graves, and as the last
shovel of dirt fell upon them the torch
was applied, and the dense smoke and
flames rose heavenward.
| During the ceremony the bucks and
squaws grouped about the funeral pile
kept up solemn, heart-rending cries and
wailing, the anguish and sorrow of which
could be heard for long distance. Sew
eral young boys holding bows and ar
rows. with fancifully designed head
| gear of red flannel and feathers, assisted
actively.
AN EXTRAORDINARY SCENE.
Many Indians threw their most valua-
| bile possessions into the flames. A buck
threw his watch, squaws their orna-
ments and calico, and children and men
their weapons.
The older squaus were in most cases
nearly nude, AZ were many of the Older
bucks. The entire scene was extraordI-
nary and impressive.
Several days will elapse before the
election of "A successor 20 Pasqual. IL IL
thought that an English speaking Indi-
an will he selected. The other Indians
generally ofiiciated, and several fearful
speeches were made, which, though I'M
ineligible To the whites, invariably
ended with the cry, "Pasqual. Pasqualf'
This, with the cremation of the Yumas
recently dying with measles, has practi-
cally bankrupted the tribe.
II is feared that papers Of great histori-
cal interest belonging to Pasqual and re-
ceived by him at various times during
his long aud varied career have been de
s.royed with his body.